Who moves to Charlotte, and where they go
Every year the IRS counts how many people move between counties, based on the addresses on their tax returns. Here is what that shows for Mecklenburg County, NC, home of Charlotte, between the 2022 and 2023 tax years.
- Moved in
- 66,121from other US counties
- Moved out
- 65,998to other US counties
- Net
- +123more arrivals than departures
- From abroad
- 416tax filers and dependents only
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Where newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Cabarrus County, NC (Concord) | 3,747 |
| Union County, NC | 3,351 |
| Gaston County, NC (Gastonia) | 2,434 |
| York County, SC (Rock Hill) | 2,163 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 1,708 |
| Iredell County, NC | 1,608 |
| Guilford County, NC (Greensboro) | 1,170 |
| Forsyth County, NC (Winston-Salem) | 701 |
| Richland County, SC (Columbia) | 700 |
| Lancaster County, SC | 690 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 646 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 615 |
Where people go when they leave
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Union County, NC | 6,018 |
| Cabarrus County, NC (Concord) | 5,924 |
| Gaston County, NC (Gastonia) | 4,710 |
| York County, SC (Rock Hill) | 4,028 |
| Iredell County, NC | 2,806 |
| Lancaster County, SC | 1,906 |
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 1,491 |
| Lincoln County, NC | 1,275 |
| Rowan County, NC | 1,014 |
| Guilford County, NC (Greensboro) | 831 |
| Catawba County, NC | 715 |
| Richland County, SC (Columbia) | 708 |
Most moves are short hops within the same metro area. 22,235 of the newcomers came from elsewhere in North Carolina and 43,886 from other states. Here are the long-distance moves only, more than 100 miles:
Long-distance newcomers come from
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 1,708 |
| Miami-Dade County, FL (Miami) | 646 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 615 |
| Broward County, FL (Fort Lauderdale) | 580 |
| Durham County, NC (Durham) | 565 |
| Los Angeles County, CA (Los Angeles) | 551 |
| Kings County, NY | 531 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 523 |
Long-distance movers go to
| County | People |
|---|---|
| Wake County, NC (Raleigh) | 1,491 |
| Charleston County, SC (Charleston) | 546 |
| Fulton County, GA (Atlanta) | 527 |
| New York County, NY | 482 |
| Durham County, NC (Durham) | 440 |
| New Hanover County, NC (Wilmington) | 432 |
| Dallas County, TX (Dallas) | 367 |
| Cook County, IL (Chicago) | 355 |
Frequently asked questions
Where do people moving to Charlotte come from?
Most people moving into Mecklenburg County, NC come from nearby counties, led by Cabarrus County, NC (3,747 people). The biggest source more than 100 miles away is Wake County, NC.
Where do people leaving Charlotte move to?
The top destination is Union County, NC (6,018 people). Farther away, the most popular is Wake County, NC.
Are more people moving to Charlotte or leaving?
Between the 2022 and 2023 tax years, 66,121 people moved into Mecklenburg County, NC from elsewhere in the US and 65,998 moved out, a net gain of 123 (IRS data, not counting moves from abroad).
Thinking about the move yourself? Compare Charlotte with any city it trades people with, like Charlotte vs Raleigh, Charlotte vs Miami, Charlotte vs Chicago, Charlotte vs Fort Lauderdale.
Source: IRS Statistics of Income, county-to-county migration data for filing years 2022 to 2023, the latest available. Counts are people (the number of personal exemptions, which the IRS uses to approximate individuals): tax filers plus dependents whose address moved to a different county between the two filing years. People who do not file returns are not counted, and the IRS hides very small flows to protect privacy. Figures are for the whole county, not just the city of Charlotte.